Swimming appliance



April 29, 1969 T. L.. McGowAN SWIMMING APPLIANCE offs Sheet Filed Nov. 8, 1966 amas //cawdn INVENTOR.

BY 72% /fm 79m TTZNEY April 29, 1969 T. x.. MCGOWAN 3,440,994.

'SWIMMING APPLxANcE Filed Nov. e, 196e sheet 2 of s INVENTOR.

Q Hama.: l. Ma owan AUTOR/V5 Y April 29, 1969 T. L.. McGowAN 3,440,994

SWIMMING APPLIANCE Filed VNov. 8, 1966 Sheet 3 of'- Fig. 4

BY 777 jd United States Patent 3,440,994 SWIMMING APPLIANCE Thomas L. McGowan, Washington, D.C. (3910 45th Ave. N., St. Petersburg, Fla. 33714) Filed Nov. 8, 1966, Ser. No. 592,879 Int. Cl. A63b 31/18, 5/02 U.S. Cl. 115--22.2 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates in general to an improved swimming appliance for the purpose of propelling swimmers through water.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a light and efficient appliance which can be readily attached to the feet of the swimmer and which has a tail portion adapted to be moved from side to side to simulate the movement of a fish and thus propel the swimmer forwardly.

Another object of the invention is to provide a light and efficient appliance which can be readily attached to the body of the swimmer and which has a pair of fins adapted to be moved up and down to simulate the movement of a fish and thus propel the swimmer forwardly and which also has a tail portion adapted to be moved from side to side to simulate the movement of a fish and thus propel the swimmer forwardly.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved tail and iin device which will more efficiently propel the swimmer.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the invention.

FIG. Z is an end view of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the invention.

FIG. 4 is an out of proportion partial side elevational view showing the movement of the fins 'and front control rods, with a magnified circle of the fin mount, and an end view of the control handle, showing movement.

FIG. 5 is an end view of the fins showing movement.

FIG. 6 is an out of proportion partial plan view showing movement of control and power transfer assembly, with end views of the main control levers showing their movement.

FIG. 7 is an end view of the optional foot attachment appliance showing, in dotted lines, the optional position of the shoes.

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of the appliance of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a plan view of the optional foot attachment appliance, with the shoes in the swivel position; and a pen sketch of the tail in operational distortion.

FIG. l() is a plan view of the optional foot attachment appliance with the shoes in fixed position and with a magnified circle of the tail mount.

ICC

Referring to the figures by characters of reference a cotton strap harness of: shoulder straps 1 and 30, chest strap 2, diagonal straps 3 and 38, waist strap 4, together with seat V5 and buckles 72 secure the swimmer to the back and leg frame. The frame is of welded aluminum tubing with a back portion of three parallel tubes 6 which are `about two and a half feet long and are mounted on a plane about five inches apart. Tubes 6 are braced with tubes 61, 62, 63 and the main control rod brace 23. The leg portion of the frame, which is also about two and a half feet long, consists of diagonal tube 70, main leg tube 71, and brace tubes 64 and 24. The leg portion of the frame continues with the longitudinal direction of the back frame but is suspended from the center of it at ninety degrees. The leg frame starts with brace 64 and continues to the pivot bar mount plate 10. These plates, of aluminum, are attached to the ends of diagonal leg tube and main leg tube 71. Attached to the front of the back frame tubes, and at ninety degrees but horizontal, are the tubular fin mounts 21 and 33. These tubes are attached, with the inside ends about three inches apart, to back frame tubes 6. The tubes 21 and 33 are cross braced with braces 55. The main control rod brace 23, of cast aluminum, serves as a brace for the back frame. It has attached to it the back frame tubes 6, the diagonal tube 70 and the pivot lever mounts 26. The outer ends of the main control rod brace 23 curve downwardly, allowing clearance for the swimmers legs while functioning as a brace for the main control rods.

A cast aluminum pivot bar 56, provided (l) with clearance slots 68 for the main cont-rol levers 53 and 46 when the pivot arms 56 are in the forward position and (2) with center pivot hole 9, fixed shoe mount holes 69 and end pivot holes 36, and end slots for the pivot bar swivel blocks 51 and 44 is mounted on frame mount 10 with swivel bolt 9. Bolt 9 extends through the mount plates. The pivot bar 56, when so mounted, is allowed only a forward and backward motion of its arms. The web and rod mount 11 is vertically affixed to the horizontal pivot bar 56 by means by the aluminum tube braces 14 and the two diagonal tube braces 35. These braces 35 and 14 are attached by an aluminum weld to both the pivot bar 56 and the web and rod mount 11. The tail rods 12 are of fiberglass or glass material, such as used in fishing rods, and are tapered. The rods 12 are inserted in sleeves provided in the rubber or rubberized cloth web 13 with the small ends toward the wide end of web 13 and the large ends toward the narrow end. The tail rods with the web are clamped by clamp 65 and bolts 66 to the web and rod mount 11, said mount and clamp being internally grooved to hold the rods 12 and web 13 in the desired form. The rods 12 are staggered in length toward the center of the tail so as to form a curved vertical end line for the tail, with the shortest length in the center, as best seen in FIG. 8.

The pivot bar 56 with `the braces 14, 35, the mount 11, rods 12 and web 13, are so arranged that the backward and forward motion of the -pivot bar arms 56 is trans- Iferred to a right and left motion on the tail rods 12 and tail web 13. Each of the cast aluminum shoes 8 and 31 are provided with two mounting tongues 74 affixed perpendicular to the shoe soles yet wide with the shoe width. The tongues 74 of said shoes are provided with pin holes and are mounted on the pivot bar 56 with steel pins. The shoes 8 and 31 are optionally foot rests when the pivot bar 56 is mounted on the pivot bar mount 10 and foot attachments when the pivot bar 56, tail mount 11, rods 12 and web 13 are used as a separate swimming appliance. The shoes 8 and 31 are provided with straps 67 when used as foot attachments.

The fins consists of: fiberglass or glass rods, such as are used in fishing rods, 27, rubber or rubberized cloth web 37 which is provided with sleeves for the tapered rods 27. The rods 27 are, with the web 37, attached by aluminum clamp 65, and bolts `66 to aluminum iin mounts 28 `and 34. The mounts 28 and 34 and clamps 65 are internally grooved to hold rods 27 and web 37 in the desired form. The lin mounts 28 and 34 are txed by key and nut to the steel tin operating shafts 22 and inserted in the shaft mount tubes 21 and 33. The iron control levers 20 and 29 are then fastened to the inside ends of shafts 22 by key and nut. These shafts 22, when so mounted, are allowed a turning motion only. The mounts 28 and 34 and n control levers 20 and 29, as txed by key to the shafts 22, must turn with the shafts. The fin control levers left 20 and right 29 are fixed to the left and right tins by the Shafts 22 and are at a ninety degree angle to the rearward extending tins. Attached to tin control levers 20 and 29, by clevs and pin, are the left and right control rods 19 and 48. The other ends of the control rods 19 and 48 are attached, by clevis and pin, to the T shaped pivot levers 18, said left and right levers 18 being secured to lever mounts 26. Mounts 26 are attached to the main control rod brace 23. Also attached to the other side of the T shaped pivot levers 18, by clevs and swivel tongue 54, are the left and right diagonal control rods 17 and 16, said swivel tongue 54 being a flattened end with a hole for the clevis pin and a round pin end with a cotter pin hole for attachment, said swivel tongue pin allowing the attached clevs to turn on and with the swivel tongue. The rear ends of the diagonal control rods 17 and 16 are attached, by clevs and swivel tongue, to the left and right of the aluminum swivel plates 15 top and 5S bottom. The swivel plates 15 and 58 are mounted with the clearance block 39 between them, on the top of mount 10, by means of the main pivot bolt 9. These pivot plates 15 and 58 each have two arms `at ninety degrees to one another. The top pivot plate 15 has one arm extending to the 4right and the other to the rear. The bottom plate 58 has one arm extending to the left and the other to the rear. The right diagonal control rod 16 is attached to the right arm of top plate 15. The left diagonal control rod 17 is attached to the left arm of bottom plate 58. The left rear control rod 60 is attached, by clevs and swivel tongue, to the rear arm of top plate 15. The right rear control rod 59 is attached, by clevis and swivel tongue, to the rear arm of bottom plate 58. The rear control rods 60 and 59 are attached, by clevis and swivel tongue, to the main control levers left 53 right 46. As so arranged, the right main control lever operates the left tin and the left main control lever operates the right fin. The main control levers 53 and 46 are keyed and attached by nut to the main control rods, right 42 left 25, said main control rods 42 and 25 are passed `through the spacers right 48 and left 52, the pivot arm swivel blocks right 44 and left 51, the stops right 43 left 50 and the main control rod brace swivel blocks right 32 and left 49 then keyed and attached by nut to the main control handles right 40 and left 7. The pivot bar swivel blocks 51 and 44 are drilled with two holes at ninety degrees to one another but offset so as not to touch. One hole is used to attach the blocks to the pivot bar the other hole is ised to mount the main control rods 25 and 42. The stops i and 43 are attached by pin or clamp to them ain conrol rods 25 and 42 and with the main control levers 53 1nd 46 they allow the main control rods 25 and 42 to urn but not slide in the pivot bar swivel blocks 51 and L4. The main control brace swivel blocks 49 and 32 are rilled with one Ihole and have an attached pin, said pin eing the attachment for the main control rod brace 23 nd said hole being used to mount the main control rods 2 and 25. The main control rod brace swivel blocks :rve to keep the main control rods at a fixed distance tom the swimmers body, yet allow the main control rods 2 and 25 to slide back and forth. All of the control rods 'e of steel and the control handles are of cast alutinum. The swivel blocks and stops are also of alutinum. The back and leg frame are attached to the body of the swimmer by means of the harness, with the leg frame extending longitudinally between Ithe legs, with the seat at the crotch and the pivot bar mount 10 just above the ankles. The swimmer inserts his feet in the foot rests on the pivot bar 56 and operates the pivot bar 56 by pushing and relaxing alternate legs on the pivot bar ends 56. The alternate horizontal backward and forward movement of the pivot bar arms 56 will cause the pivot bar 56 to pivot horizontally about pivot bolt 9 and cause the attached tail mount to move in a right and left oscilalating arc form thereby propelling the swimmer by applying force in a rearward direction to the resistance of the water.

The operation of the invention will now be described. In the operation of the tail when the right force is applied, as in FIG. 9, the outside rods move faster because they are attached by only one side to the web and thus receive the resistant force of the web on the water on only the one side. The center rod moves the slowest in the water because it receives the resistance of the water on `the web on both sides and at a more direct angle than either the outside or intermediate rods. The resistance of the water on the web pulls 4the outside rods closer together so that the angle of side resistance of the web is least at the outside rods and most at the center rod. Because the rods are texible and tapered, and because the vertical web is tapered and because of the ditferent distance of travel in arc of the rear versus the front of the rods, the latter complete their arc of movement in quicker time. Thus, the tail curves, as seen in FIG. 9, in a gradual shlike tail motion whereby forward movement occurs. As the user increases the speed and force, the rate of forward movement is increased in direct proportion.

When shoes 8 and 31, pivot bar 56, tail mount 11, with braces 14 and 35, rods 12 and web 13 are used as a separate unit, t is operated as follows:

The shoes 8 and 31 are attached to the feet by straps 67 and mounted with pins on the pivot bar swivel holes 36. The pins act as moving pivot points in that they move with the backward and forward movement of the swimmers feet yet turn horizontally in relation to the pivot bar 56. The swimmer with the appliance attached to the feet bends the right knee and pulls with the right leg at the same time that he straightens and pushes with the left leg. When the desired amount of travel by the legs is achieved, the swimmer reverses the procedure and straightens the right leg at the same time that he bends the left leg. This pushing and pulling force exerted on the opposite ends of the pivot bar 56 will establish a pivot point at the center of the pivot bar 56 and will be transferred to a right and left force on the attached vertical mount, oscillating the web 13 and rods 12, and propelling the swimmer forward by means of the force applied to the water resistance. The directional control of the swimmer is obtained by movement of the ankles, knees, hips and the use of the arms as normally used in swimming.

The main control rods 25 and 42 enable a power assist to the pivot bar 56 yfrom the arms of the swimmer, as follows:

The main control rods 25 and 42 are braced but allowed to slide by the main control rod swivel blocks 49 and 32. These main control rods turn but do not slide in the pivot bar swivel blocks 51 and 44 by means of stops 50 and 43 and main control levers 53 and 46. As so arranged the backward and forward force of the swimmers arms on the main control rods 25 and 42 is transferred to the pivot bar 56 by means of the stops 50 and 43 .and the main control levers 53 and 46 and the pivot bar swivel blocks 51 and 44 which are attached by pins to the pivot bar 56.

The main control rods turn, in the main control rod brace blocks 49 and 32 and in the pivot bar swivel blocks 51 and 44. The main control handles 7 and 40 are keyed to the main control rods 25 and 42 to turn the main control levers 53 and 46 which are also keyed to the main control rods 25 and 42. Levers 53 and 46 are attached by the rear control rods 60 and 59 to the rear arms of swivel plates and 58. In this fashion plates 15 and 58 may be turned about the pivot bolt 9, the left control lever 53 turning the top plate 15 and the right control lever 46 turning the bottom plate 58. Since these pivot plates, have their two arms at ninety degrees to one another, they transfer the right and left movement of the main control levers to a forward and backward movement of n control levers and 29, via a right and left control rod assembly. The right assembly consists of the right diagonal control rod 16 attached to the top swivel plate 15 and the right T shaped pivot arm 18, and the front right control rod 48 attached to the right fin operating lever 29 and also attached to the right T shaped pivot arm 18. The left assembly consists of the left diagonal control rod 17 attached to the -bottom swivel plate 58 and the left T shaped pivot arm 18, and the left front control rod 19 attached to the left n operating lever 20, and also attached to the left T shaped pivot arm 18. The control assembly is so arranged that turning the left control handle out and up moves the right n up, and turning the right handle out and up moves the left fin up, and turning the left control handle out and down moves the right n down, and turning the right control handle out and down moves the left rin down. When the appliance is in motion in the water and a iin is moved up or down the resistance of the water will push the fin in the opposite direction of its movement. So when both ns are up the appliance will go down and when both fins are down the appliance will go up.

Since the main control levers 53 and 46 are offset from the center of the pivot bar 56 the main control rods 25 and 42 will be moved back and forth. This back and forth movement can be diverted to an up and down movement of the fins by the swimmer holding the control handles and preventing them from turning, thus gaining a power assist from the tins.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for propelling a swimmer through water comprising, oscillating means capable of being engaged and operable by the feet of said swimmer and a tail fin aixed to said oscillating means, said tail 1in comprising a web with tapered rods with the small end distant from said oscillating means embedded in said web whereby a iish tail like motion of said fin is provided by proper movement of the feet of said swimmer.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said oscillating means comprises a horizontally disposed pivotable bar to which said n is operatively connected.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 having, in addition, a harness to be aixed to the body of said swimmer, and a frame extending toward the feet of said swimmer, to which said oscillating means is secured.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said fin consisting of a web and tapered rods is clamped to an oscillating clamp, and said clamp is oscillated by the action of said bar via connecting means thereto.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 including, in addition, a pair of hand activating means, one extending along each side of the swimmer and operatively secured to said oscillating means whereby said swimmer may assist operation of said oscillating means by the action of his arms and hands.

6. The apparatus of claim 2, including, in addition, a pair of hand actuating means, one extending along each side of the swimmer, operatively secured by a universal acting joint to said pivotable bar.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, including, in addition, fins on each side of said swimmer, operatively connected to said oscillating means in such manner as to effect a flapping motion of said ns.

8, The apparatus of claim 2, including, in addition, ns on each side of said swimmer, operatively connected to said horizontally disposed pivotable bar.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,530,560 3/1925 Heminger 11S-26.3

2,365,415 12/1944 Kruse 115-28 XR 3,204,699 9/ 1965 Gongwer 115-28 XB FOREIGN PATENTS 1,349,438 12/ 1963 France.

ANDREW H. FARRELL, Primary Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 11S-28 

